Birk and Sofia
by Luiz4200
Summary: Series of oneshots that take place after "The Return of Birk Balthazar". Birk marked as OC for the same reason as the previous story.
1. The Village Fair

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sofia the First or any character from the franchise.**

 **Birk and Sofia**

 **Chapter 1: The Village Fair**

Once again, Princess Sofia and her stepsiblings went to the Village Fair. This time, Sofia's mother Queen Miranda was with them. "Don't get this the wrong way, Amber." Prince James asked his twin sister. "Why did it mean so much for you if Mom came along or not?"

"James, whenever I thought about what Sofia said about being too busy with work to attend the fair, I felt like she should know what she'd been missing." Princess Amber explained.

"Fortunately, days like these have fewer requests for the King to analyze or I'd show you that _poverty_ isn't the only thing that can make people too busy to attend the Village Fair." Queen Miranda replied with a clear intention.

"I'm sorry about what I said, Mother." A red-faced Amber said.

"Wait a minute, Mom." James asked. "If work was what used to keep you too busy for the fair back when you were a villager, what's Birk Balthazar doing here?"

"Papa!" Sofia exclaimed upon seeing her birth father.

"Hi, Sofia." Birk said. "Enjoying the fair?"

"Yes, Papa."

"To answer your question, James, I didn't work with edible products back then. If I did, I might have expected to make more businesses here than at my shop during the fair." Miranda explained.

"What about you, Papa?" Sofia eagerly asked. "Enjoying the fair as well?"

"I'm selling more than I expect to during a normal day at the bakery, Sofia." Birk explained.

"I meant enjoying as someone here for the fun of it, Papa." Sofia explained.

"Well, since it's too late to return to the bakery and bring more bread to sell before the fair is over for the day, I'll enjoy the rest of it after selling all the bread I've brought to sell today." Birk replied and Sofia then sadly stared at a basket with some loaves. "Oh, these are for my personal consumption, Sofia." He clarified and then picked up another leaf. "This is my last loaf of bread for sale for today. Afterwards, I'll be free to enjoy the fair."

"I'll buy it!" James declared.

"Here it is, Prince James." Birk sold him the bread.

"You're only doing this to give Birk time to spend with Sofia, James." Amber accused her brother.

James took a bite of the bread before answering. "That too but you should try Birk's bread. It's delicious."

"Uh, another time." She refused.

Meanwhile, Sofia was showing Birk her favorite spots in the fair when they heard a master-of-ceremonies announcing a pet contest like the one she entered Clover last time. "Sounds interesting, Sofia." Birk commented. "What do you think?"

"Clover and I already won last time, Papa." She answered. "I don't think the audience would like a repeat performance."

Birk was secretly sad he didn't even know his daughter had a pet. "What kind of pet is Clover?"

"He's a bunny and he's not exactly a pet, Papa." Sofia explained. "He's my friend."

"What about your stepsiblings?" Birk asked. "Which animals did they enter back then?"

"James entered Freedo the baboon and Amber entered Praline the peacock, Papa." Sofia answered.

' _It figures.' Birk thought upon hearing a Princess entered a peacock._ "Really?" He asked. "I can imagine a baboon losing the contest but not a peacock."

"Hey!" James protested.

"Face it, James." Amber replied. "That stupid baboon was the second worst choice you ever made for this contest."

" _Second_ worst?" Birk asked in confusion.

"The year before, James brought his dog Rex and it caused such a big disaster Rollie wouldn't object to Rex being banned from the fair." Miranda explained.

"How did you know that, Mom?" James asked. "You and Sof not only still weren't in the Royal Family back then but didn't even attend that year's fair."

"James, I'm certain everyone who lived in the village back then would have known regardless of having attended that fair or not." Amber replied.

"You're right, Amber." Miranda softly replied.

"Honestly, Sofia, I don't think it'll be a problem to repeat a performance since it's only once per year." Birk suggested.

"He's right, Sof." James agreed.

"What about you, Prince James?" Birk asked. "What will you bring this time? A weasel?"

"No way!" James replied. "Baboons are better than weasels. Freedo and I had a lot of fun last time and we'll have it again!"

"Amber, will you bring Praline again?" James asked his twin.

"No way, James." She answered. "Since it's obvious from last time's results that this audience prefers bunnies over peacocks, I'm bringing Ginger. If even an ugly bunny like Clover can win, Ginger will be even better."

After that conversation, Miranda and the royal kids went back to the castle to pick up pets for the contest. "Back so soon?" King Roland the Second asked in surprise.

"We're just here to collect pets for the contest, Dad." Amber explained.

"Did Birk ask you to send me his regards?" Roland asked.

"How did you know Papa was there, Dad?" Sofia asked in surprise. James and Amber were just as shocked.

"As the King, I had a copy of the list of all businesses operating at the fair and his bakery was at the list, Sofia." The King explained. "I thought about telling you sooner but I thought you'd like the surprise."

"Oh, thank you, Dad." Sofia happily replied and hugged him.

"You're welcome, Sofia."

 **End chapter. Since this is supposed to be a series of one-shots, updates are not to be expected on a regular basis.**


	2. Happy Birthday, Princess Sofia

**Chapter 2: Happy Birthday, Princess Sofia**

It was a regular day at the village bakery for Birk Balthazar until Princess Sofia happily arrived and approached him. She was just as happy as back when she ran towards the King and the Queen to tell them she passed her sorcery test. "Papa! Papa!"

"Sofia!" Birk was happy to see her. He's surprised as well since it wasn't a regular visit day. "What brings you here?"

"I've come here by royal carriage to bring you this, Papa." Sofia said as she handed him a piece of parchment. "This Saturday is my birthday and you're invited. The party's at the castle. Bring up this invitation."

"Oh, thank you, Sofia." Birk gladly accepted the invitation.

"Sorry if I leave so soon but I have invitations to deliver to my friends in the village, Papa." She said. "Goodbye."

"Bye, Sofia." Birk replied. After Sofia left, Birk started worrying. Sofia might have allowed in into her life to some extent but, thanks to her stepfather, she's a Princess. She'd probably receive so many good gifts from her bigshot friends she won't care about anything he might give her. Deciding not to fret much over this, he decided to close the bakery earlier and walk around the village looking for some ideas.

' _What can I give a Princess?' Birk thought in despair._ He noticed he's next to a toy shop and decided to enter, certain there'd be something his Princess might like. Two minutes after browsing around, he learned he's not the only invitee to think about looking for a present there. Sofia's best friends Ruby and Jade also went there. "Hi, Mr. Balthazar." They said.

"Are you also buying a present for Sofia?" Jade asked.

"I'm buying this doll!" Ruby exclaimed after picking said doll.

"And I'm buying this one." Jade added after picking another one.

"So, this this Sofia's first birthday as a Princess?" Birk asked out of curiosity.

"No, Mr. Balthazar." Jade answered. "You should have seen last year's party. All those Princes and Princesses and the gifts they gave her."

Now Birk was even more worried about Sofia rejecting him.

Meanwhile, Princess Amber was stepping out the castle when her stepmother spotted her. "Where are you going in such a hurry, Amber?" Queen Miranda asked.

"I'm just getting a gift for Sofia at the jewelry store, Mom." Amber happily answered. "Last time I was there I saw a tiara that practically had my, uh, Sofia's name on it."

Miranda smirked. "You won't be trying to tell Birk what to give Sofia, will you?"

"Well, I might drop by at his bakery and give some suggestions." Amber admitted.

"Honestly, Amber, I know you care about Sofia but you'd better make sure James won't give her a cannon." Miranda maliciously suggested just to get Amber out of Birk's case.

"Mother, I know James is obsessed with cannons but even he wouldn't…" Amber hesitated. "Never mind."

That night, Birk was having a nightmare about the party. _Sofia was surrounded by the expensive gifts when Birk gave her his gift. She's so unimpressed she quickly dismissed it with an Amber-like sneer. Sofia then approached the King, expressing her gratitude for the fact she could get better stuff. "You're the best Dad ever,_ Dad _."_

Birk then woke up. _'No, Birk.' He thought to himself. 'You know Sofia better than that in spite of the little time you spent with her in comparison to the Royal Family.'_

In spite of Birk's insecurities, he went to the party. "Papa!" Sofia happily exclaimed. "You came!"

"Of course I came, Sofia." Birk said and then hugged her, glad his gift had already been placed on a table with other gifts so he'd not be around to see Sofia rejecting it.

Sofia's friends from Royal Prep soon approached her and she introduced each one of them to Birk, who bowed to each Prince and Princess. He felt so out of place among so many Royals he only stayed around for Sofia.

"Open my gift, Sofia." Amber excitedly asked. "I'm sure you'll love it."

Sofia unwrapped it and was not surprised that it's a tiara. "You bought it thinking about wearing it yourself, didn't you?" She accused her stepsister.

"Sofia!" Amber exclaimed with fake outrage. "What makes you think so?"

"It has your name written on it." Sofia answered with a frown.

"It was my way to make sure you'll remember who gave it." Amber lied with a weak smile.

"Don't worry, Sof." James reassured Sofia. "You'll love my gift."

"A cannon?" Sofia asked.

' _Is this what his sisters think of him?' He thought in frustration._ "No." He answered as he showed a bracelet not bigger than Birk's, making the baker briefly relieved until Sofia unwrapped it and found a golden bracelet. "I'd give a necklace but you wouldn't take off your amulet."

"Where's yours, Papa?" Sofia eagerly asked.

"Right at that table, Sofia." He answered while pointing at the table. To his dismay, she rushed to get it. After she opened it, he took her brief silence as Sofia's difficulty to find something good to say about it.

"This doll's dress… is the same color as mine!" She happily exclaimed. "Thank you, Papa."

"You're welcome, Sofia." He replied in relief.

"She liked that stupid doll better than my _tiara_?" Amber asked in shock. "What kind of Princess is she?"

"A good one." James teased his twin.

 **End chapter.**


	3. Wassailia

**Chapter 3: Wassailia**

After baking and selling enough bread for a day, Birk Balthazar decided it was time to buy a Wassailia gift for Princess Sofia. As he walked around, he noticed everyone around him was wearing way more winter gear than him. _'Being from Friezenburg has advantages.' He thought._ As he approached a shop, he saw Sofia coming from the other direction. "Hi, Sofia."

"Hi, Papa." She happily replied. "How're you?"

"I'm fine, Sofia." He answered. "And you?"

"Me too, Papa." Sofia replied.

"So, what brings you so far from the castle?" He curiously asked.

"I'm buying Wassailia gifts, Papa." She explained.

"Me too, Sofia." He said. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going there, Papa." She answered while pointing at the shop Birk was approaching. He couldn't help but notice how she didn't seem to need more winter gear than he did. He's impressed she took that after him in spite of not being raised in Friezenberg.

"In that case, I'm going somewhere else so I won't spoil your surprise, Sofia." Birk commented. "Goodbye and Happy Wassailia."

"Happy Wassailia, Papa." She replied and the two went their respective ways. Sofia was secretly feeling bad about herself. It's her first Wassailia with her birth father back in her life she didn't even think about getting him a present until she chanced upon him. After buying everything she intended to, she returned to the castle.

"Sofia, what's wrong?" Queen Miranda asked upon noticing a hint of sadness on Sofia's face.

"I met Papa." She answered.

"What did he do?" King Roland the Second asked out of worry. The more he'd like to have a good reason to hate his wife's former husband and exclude him from their lives, he placed Sofia's well-being above that.

"It's not what he did, Dad." Sofia said and then explained what worried her. "I tried to think of something to give him but…"

"It turns out you still don't know him well enough to know what he'd like." Miranda suggested.

"That's right, Mom." Sofia was relieved her mother figured it out. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Give him a tie, Sofia." Miranda advised her daughter. "It's a good gift and I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

"Okay, Mom." Sofia was glad for the advice.

As Wassailia night approached, the Royal Family and Birk Balthazar were at the castle enjoying the party. "Happy Wassailia, Sofia." Birk said while handing her a small package. Sofia opened it and found a bracelet. "Oh, thank you, Papa!"

"You're welcome, Sofia."

"Here's my Wassailia gift for you, Papa." Sofia gave him a tie and he liked it. "Thank you, Sofia." He said and then put on the tie.

After dinner, Baileywick brings desserts including four breads baked by Birk. "Cool!" Sofia adored the amulet-shaped bread while Princess Amber went for the tiara-shaped one and Prince James went for the cannon-shaped one. "Boom goes the cannon!" James shouted while pointing his bread to Amber."

"James, don't play with your food." Miranda mock-scolded her stepson.

"Sorry, Mom." James replied and then turned his attention to his twin. "Amber, will you eat your bread or wear it?"

"Very funny, James." She sarcastically replied and then ate her bread. "What about the fruitcake?"

"It's a basic holiday food and it befits my job since it's a cake or bread depending on where you come from, Princess Amber." Birk explained.

"Cake or bread?" James asked in confusion.

"Fruitcakes are from a land where they're known by a name that translates as 'Tony's bread' after their inventor, James." Miranda explained.

After that lesson, they ate their desserts.

 **End chapter. Happy Wassailia or whatever holiday you celebrate instead of it.**


	4. Recalling the Royal Mess

**Chapter 4: Recalling the Royal Mess**

Birk Balthazar was visiting his daughter Sofia at her stepfather's castle. "Sofia, what's your favorite part of the castle?" He asked.

"Mr. Cedric's lab, Papa." She answered after deciding between this and her secret garden.

"Really?" Birk was confused. "Do you really like sorcery that much?"

"Yes, Papa."

"Sofia, I know you're a Princess now but, don't you have normal interests like going to a circus?" Birk asked. There's still so much he didn't know about his daughter.

"You should have seen what happened the first time the Goldenwing Circus came after Sof became a Princess, Birk." James happily commented.

"James, do you really have to bring it up?" Amber asked in annoyance.

"What happened?" Birk asked and Sofia then took him to the room where the stained glass window featuring the Royal Family was located. She explained about the royal mess James made and how he, Sofia and Amber tried to fix it. "Hahahahahahahahahaha." Birk laughed. "Did you really think moving the armor would have worked?"

"Hey!" James protested. "How'd I know it'd further break the glass?"

"That's beside the point, Prince James." Birk explained. "Did you really think your father would forget the armor wasn't initially blocking your twin's face from sight?"

James hesitated before answering. "Uh, yes?"

"I should have known it was a bad idea since it was James who came up with it." Amber arrogantly commented.

"Anyway, did you like the show, Sofia?" Birk asked not only out of genuine curiosity but also out of desire to stop the twins' arguing.

"Yes, Papa." Sofia answered.

"In that case, Sofia, I'll keep an eye in case a circus shows up at the village." Birk offered.

"Good luck trying to find something that's a match for Goldenwing Circus." Amber scoffed at Birk's idea. "Not a chance another circus will impress people who already watched a Goldenwing show."

"I'll give it a try anyway, Papa." Sofia politely accepted Birk's invitation.

 **End chapter.**


	5. The Queen's Father

**Chapter 5: The Queen's Father**

Princess Sofia entered her stepsister's bedroom and saw Princess Amber doing something she never expected to see her doing even if it was to a tiara. Amber was _cleaning_ it herself instead of ordering someone to do it for her. "Are you alright, Amber?"

"Why, yes, Sofia." Amber answered in confusion. "Why did you ask?"

"Because you're cleaning something yourself." Sofia explained. "Normally you command a maid to do it."

"Sofia, this is my best tiara and the occasion is important enough I don't mind doing a bit of menial labor." Amber explained.

"Which occasion?" Sofia wondered. "The closest thing is that Mom and Dad are having a date today and it's not like any of us will go with them."

"Exactly, Sofia." Amber gleefully replied. "With Dad away for so long, someone else will cover for him as a King for a Day. Or should I say _Queen_ for a Day?"

"Will he finally give you a turn?" Sofia skeptically asked. She had her doubts considering the King's comment back when James was King for a Day.

"Technically, nothing has been confirmed yet but I can feel it." Amber commented. "I am the eldest child. James might have used the seven-minute technicality to get the first turn but now it's _my_ time to rule Enchancia!"

"Oh, Amber." Sofia was starting to get worried about the idea of living under Amber's rule. History taught her that those more obsessed with becoming rulers were usually the less fit to rule.

"Princess Amber, your presence has been required at the throne room." Baileywick informed as he entered Amber's room. He then noticed Sofia. "Princess Sofia, your presence has been required there as well."

"Yes, Baileywick." The two Princesses replied and went to the throne room. Upon arriving, the realized Prince James and Queen Miranda were already there.

King Roland the Second was glad to have his whole family reunited. "I have an announcement to make." He declared. "As Queen Miranda and I will be temporarily absent, I decided it was time to appoint one of my children as a temporary ruler."

James eagerly waved his hands. "You already had your turn, James." Amber haughtily reminded her twin.

"I agree with Amber, James." King Roland replied, unknowingly increasing Amber's hopes of being chosen as Queen for a Day. "I believe now it's time to pick one of my daughters to be a Queen for a Day. A Princess who, several times, has shown leadership qualities that make me believe she'll make a fine Queen."

' _He must be thinking of the time I coached the Royal Redhawks.' Amber thought while grinning._

"I hereby proclaim Princess Sofia as Queen for a Day." The King said.

"Thank…" Amber started saying until it clicked on her he said 'Sofia'. "What? That's not fair! I'm the oldest child! I should've been the first Queen for a Day!"

"Your reaction is precisely one of the reasons I didn't choose you, Amber." The King sternly told her and then placed a Queen crown on Sofia's head. "Sofia, I trust you to keep the Kingdom in order while your mother and I are absent."

"James, please keep an eye on your sisters." Queen Miranda asked her stepson in a whisper. "I'm afraid Amber is letting her jealousy get the better of her."

"I see what you mean, Mom." James whispered back.

After the King and the Queen left, Baileywick approached Queen Sofia with important documents that needed to be signed. "Bring the pogo stick!" James ordered.

"No." Queen Sofia replied.

"Pogo stick?" Amber asked in confusion. Sofia then explained how James stamped official documents during his day as King of Enchancia.

"I'm now even more surprised that Mom, Dad and I still had an Enchancia to return to back then." Amber commented.

"It wasn't that bad, Amber." James protested. As the twins argued, Sofia kept reading every document and deciding which ones should be signed. Amber and James were impressed at their stepsister's dedication.

"One'd think she's been trained for as long as we were." Amber commented.

"She and Dad make it seem so easy." James added.

"You're the one who never bothered to keep up with that part of being Royal, James." Amber replied.

By the time Sofia finished with the documents, Baileywick returned. "I'm terribly sorry for interrupting, Your Majesty, but there are some bakers requesting a hearing."

"Papa?" Sofia asked in surprise.

"Yes, my Queen, Birk Balthazar is among them." Baileywick explained.

"Let them in, please." Sofia asked.

As the bakers entered, they were surprised that it was Sofia and not King Roland who welcomed them. "Sofia?" Birk asked, not having expected to see her ruling Enchancia.

"I'm Queen for a Day, Papa." Sofia explained.

"What happened to King Roland?" Another baker asked.

"The King and Queen of Enchancia are temporarily absent and His Majesty has left Princess Sofia in charge of the Kingdom as Queen for a Day." Baileywick explained.

"Queen Sofia…" Birk started until Sofia interrupted her. "It's still Sofia to you, Papa."

"Okay but this is not a social visit." Birk replied. "My fellow bakers and I are here because yesterday's storm damaged the local windmill and we have no place to acquire flour from. We have no way to bake bread."

"Start baking cakes then." Amber dismissively replied and everyone started staring at her. "What?"

' _No wonder that hundred-layer cake was such a fiasco.' James thought._

"Amber, no one can bake cakes without flour." Sofia explained.

"Cookies, at least?" Amber asked with a hint of desperation. Everyone sadly made negative notions with their heads. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Sofia, you have to do something!" Amber desperately pleaded.

"Princess Amber acts like her suffering is bigger than ours." A baker whispers in disdain to another one.

"No wonder King Roland wants to know how Princess Sofia will fare as a ruler." The other one whispered back.

"Baileywick, please inform Cedric the Sensational his presence has been required at the throne room." Sofia requested.

Later on, Sofia, her stepsiblings, the bakers and Cedric went to the destroyed mill. "Sofia, are you sure you can trust Cedric?" Amber asked out of worry. "His magic doesn't always work as expected unless you expect it to fail."

"Just have some faith on him, Amber." Sofia replied.

"So, how may I help the bakers, Queen Sofia?" Cedric asked.

"Remember how you used a spell to build a house a few months ago, Mr. Cedric?" Sofia eagerly asked in reply. "Can't you use it or something similar here?"

"As a matter of time, Queen Sofia, I can." Cedric replied.

One spell later, the bakers were satisfied. "Long live Queen Sofia!"

"Cedric also deserves thanks, people." Sofia replied.

"It's not just because I'm your father, Sofia, but I believe you'd make a better Queen than Princess Amber." Birk commented.

"You take that back right now!" Amber demanded.

"Amber, you can't prohibit people from saying there are better options than you as a ruler." James scolded his twin and practically everyone nodded in agreement.

That night, King Roland and Queen Miranda returned and asked how Sofia's day as Queen was. "Next time it'll be my turn." Amber eagerly said. "Right, Daddy?"

"Honestly, Amber, hearing about your behavior makes me afraid of the very idea." The King commented.

Amber cried and ran to her bedroom.

 **End chapter.**


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